Artwork
Petra
Petra is a watercolor work on paper by the Impressionist artist Edward Lear. It dates from 1858 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Edward Lear painted Petra’s cliffs in watercolour in 1858. The cliffs rise like red walls around a narrow gorge. In the background, a tiny human figure walks toward the entrance.
Lear visited Petra during a long trip through the Near East. He faced health troubles but kept drawing. His watercolours show places as he saw them, not as grand tourist views.
Look next at another Lear, Edward.
Overview
This watercolour painting of Petra was created by Edward Lear in 1858. It depicts the ancient site's dramatic landscape and ruins.
Subject & Meaning
The painting shows a narrow gorge surrounded by red cliffs, with a small figure walking towards the entrance. Lear's work captures the site's unique combination of natural beauty and archaeological significance.
Technique & Style
Lear's watercolour technique conveys the vivid colours of Petra's cliffs, described by him as 'like ham in stripes' and 'salmon colour'. The painting presents a personal, observational view of the site, rather than a grand or idealized representation.
History & Provenance
Lear visited Petra in 1858, during a trip to the Near East. His stay was marked by difficulties, including robbery by local tribesmen, but he still managed to make several sketches and drawings.
Artist & collection
Artist
Edward Lear (12 May 1812 – 29 January 1888) was an English artist, illustrator, musician, author and poet, who is known mostly for his literary nonsense in poetry and prose and especially his limericks, a form he popularised but which term…
